WWE TLC Review 12/04/2016

Hello Misfits! It’s the Wrestling Classic here with my TLC Review. I was 4-2 with my predictions, which was way better compared to how bad the statistics were for my Survivor Series predictions. This is Smackdown Live’s third exclusive PPV, and its once again headlined with AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose, but this time it was in a TLC match. There were no matches that had to be reschedules or postponed like we have had the previous two Smackdown exclusive PPVs. I was not home to watch the kickoff but congratulations to Peter Rosenberg for joining the kick off show panel and I heard the tag match was a great way to kick off the show.

WWE TLC comes to us from the American Airlines Centre in Dallas, Texas.

– The show opened a video package hyping up tonights show.

Tag Team Championship
The New Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton) def. Heath Slater & Rhyno
in 5:53 by pinfall
The Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt relationship is an odd one. Originally an intense rivalry between Orton and Wyatt has turned into a dominant partnership and they were challenging for the Smackdown tag team titles. Heath Slater and Rhyno are the the reigning and the first ever Smackdown Tag Team Champions. Slater had to win the tag titles to get a contract to Smackdown but ever since doing so there isn’t a reason that Slater and Rhyno should still be tag team champions. The match wasn’t anything special but it was perfect for what it was. It was your standard tag team match but it got the job done. The best story told in the match was the tension between the Wyatts. Sacrifice for your fellow brothers played a role here again, as Harper ate a gore from Rhyno thus saving Randy Orton from it. Rhyno went inside and stopped at the sight of Bray’s weird crab walk. Orton snuck in with the RKO and they won the titles. Following the match the The Wyatt’s posed with the titles. There seemed to be some tension between Harper and Orton as if they were both trying ti prove who’s more valuable to the team. In the end though Bray and Orton both put their titles on Harpers shoulders and they all posed. Its great to see Bray win his first title in the WWE and with a future first ballot hall of famer Randy Orton. Also if these means that the Wyatt’s will defend the Smackdown tag titles under the Freebird rule, I’m all in for that. Everyone is expecting Orton to break free from the Family at any moment and that will mean every tag match they have we’ll be sitting on the edge of our seats.
Rating – **1/2

No DQ
Nikki Bella def.Carmella
in 7:39 via pinfall
Finally Carmella and Nikki Bella get to tear each other apart with no rules. I feel like I went into this match with fairly high expectations. I was looking forward to this match because this rivalry has been filled with violent attacks and brutality which means it needed to end in a match with this stipulation. Unfortunately, with Raw putting Sasha Baks and Charlotte in a Falls Count Anywhere for the Women’s Championship the same week of this event, it left us desiring more from this match to upstage them. It just didn’t happen. There were also some weird rules too. For example it was a No DQ match but there was still a ten count meaning someone could lose by count out. I don’t know about you but I found that silly and unnecessary. The weapon of choice was a kendo stick which was also the weapon of choice on Raw falls count anywhere match, so it felt too similar. Carmella continued to play her heel role perfectly as Nikki Bella achieved to receive the sympathy she was trying to garner. The coolest spot of the match had to be Nikki Bella’s flying kick off the barricade. The end of the match was a super long fire extinguisher spot and the new Rack Attack by Nikki Bella who picked up the victory. The match was good filled with intensity but I think it felt a little less spectacular because the match we had just seen at Raw that was a little bit more extreme. I honestly think that Carmella should have won this match, because now it just feels like she can’t get one over on Nikki. I think Carmella deserved the win with the fire she’s been bringing as a heel as of late. Now with this storyline shifting towards a Natalya/Nikki rivalry, I hope Carmella can still be involved and that she can pick up a win over Nikki still. Everything else aside, Nikki Bella looked bomb as fuck on this show. I mean talk about smokin’ hot.
Rating – ***

Post match, Nikki Bella vs. Carmella cut a promo on Nikki, saying she didn’t attack Nikki at Survivor Series, and revealed that Natalya was the mystery attacker. The already heel Natalya, as if we’re supposed to believe that she wouldn’t do something like that. They then immediately show a video of Natalya helping a fan propose…good going.

Ladder Match
Intercontinental Championship
The Miz w/Maryse (C) def.Dolph Ziggler
in 25:10 by retrieving the title
This has been one of the most interesting and intense rivalries of this year. Thats saying a lot since these two have feuded countless times in the past and yet they’ve been able to have one of the most consistent rivalries this year. They’ve had great matches at both Backlash and No Mercy and this rivalry made me care about Ziggler again. This was supposed to be the final match between the two for the time being. It was a good match but struggled to define exactly what kind of ladder match they wanted to have. It’s almost as if they tried to fit a little bit of everything into the match. A ladder match with highspots, technical wrestling spots involving the ladder and where the ladder was used as prop creatively. I also lobe how The Miz still steals Daniel Bryan’s taunts and uses his move to get under Bryan’s skin. The Miz retained the title after hitting a few low blows to gain enough time to retrieve the title. The match was good but it was’t great. I once again went into the match with higher expectations taking in consideration of their previous two matches and the talent of both men. The Miz cut a top notch heel promo following the match.
Rating – ***

Chairs Match
Baron Corbin def. Kalisto
in 12:51 via pinfall
I’m not a huge Corbin fan and anyone that follows me, knows that. Kalisto is very talented but I never understood the hype behind him that causes him getting the push he tends to get. Personally, I believe Kalisto and Sin Cara could have achieved more success for a longer period of time as the Lucha Dragons rather than as singles stars. I still don’t exactly get the point of this stipulation but Corbin and Kalisto were out to show that they could use chairs in a creative way. Kalisto was awesome here, flying all over the place and playing the resilient underdog very well. Corbin did what he does best and bullied Kalisto at any chance he could get. Both guys had highlights during this match. In the end though, Corbin got the win with an End of Days on a pile of chairs. This match exceeded my expectations and may have been the best match of either mans career.
Rating – ***1/2

– Natalya wished Lynch luck tonight, and denies attacking Nikki at Survivor Series, calling Carmella a liar.

Tables Match
Women’s Championship
Alexa Bliss def. Becky Lynch (C)
in 15:16 by DQ
I’ve really enjoyed this rivalry between Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch over the Smackdown Women’s Title. The rivalry went from being champion to getting really personal over the past couple of months. It also helped with getting Alexa Bliss over with me as a character. . These two did well and continued to show that the women of Smackdown are consistently solid. Becky attacked right away, fitting into the storyline. I think they did a good job of keeping the match personal while also building towards the suspense of the eventual table spot to end things. There were some smart moments, like Alexa not being able to counter Becky so she flipped the table over instead. Alexa used an eye rake to open up an opportunity to power bomb Becky off the apron through a table to win the title. I think Becky should have had a longer reign but Alexa has been great since the draft so it’s all good. I doubt that this rivalry is over and we’re bound to see a series of rematches. I know I don’t want to see the Women’s Title on Smackdown be passed around like a hot potato like it is on Raw, so I expect Alexa to hold the title for a little bit. This was a pretty damn good match. I don’t know where I officially stand with Alexa yet, but she’s surly growing on me. One of the new interview girls tried to get an interview with Becky after the match who was clearly upset with herself and didn’t want to be interviewed.
Rating – ***3/4

Tables, Ladders & Chairs
WWE Championship
AJ Styles (C) vs. Dean Ambrose
in 30:50 by retrieving the belt
Styles and Ambrose continue to put on great matches and with the addition of the TLC stipulation I was excited to see how they would make this match a memorable one. The match started off with brawling as it should. The match started in a high gear and never slowed down. AJ Styles took insane bumps and really stole the show. Ambrose actually seemed like a Lunatic in this match as he just wouldn’t stay down and looked like he enjoyed the car wreck of a match more than your average wrestler. Dean set up a ladder on top of an announce table and then put AJ through the other table with a big elbow off it. AJ would top that with an insane springboard 450 splash through a table outside. It was a thing of beauty. These again proved that they can time and time again give us quality wrestling matches that have us on the edge of our seats. When it looked like AJ would win, James Ellsworth came out and distracted him. Dean hit AJ with Dirty Deeds on the steps and had an opening to win. AJ did his best Roman Reigns/John Cena and got up almost instantly from that big spot. He was still knocked off the ladder only for Ellsworth to turn on Dean and tilt the ladder over, sending him through tables. AJ recovered and retrieved the title to retain. I really could have done with a finish that didn’t involve James Ellsworth but I understand that he’s been playing a major role in the main event scene for the past 3-4 weeks. I just wish he wouldn’t be apart of it. I still would have preferred Undertaker showing up at the end of this match rather than Ellsworth. Ellsworth turning on Ambrose was predictable but I wasn’t sold on the idea until Ellsworth’s delusional explanation for it all on Talking Smack. If he wins the WWE Championship title tomorrow night, I’ll be an embarrassed fan of wrestling. Other than Ellsworth finish, the match was a bad fucking ass.
Rating – ****1/2

Final Thoughts
This show never really had any bad moments. I mean it had its high moments like the Wyatts victory, the chairs match, the tables match and the main event but even that stuff that wasn’t that great, wasnt that bad. Smackdown again delivers a solid, fun and action packed show. I was wrong about the two women’s matches in my predictions but I got all the other matches right. This PPV also seemed like the ending of many rivalries on the Smackdown brand and the turning point for others. It wasn’t better than  the last two Smackdown exclusive PPV’s but it was still really enjoyable. There are matches on this card that I can see myself watching again, especially the main event. A lot of these rivalries have been going on for months and months, which would bother a lot people but Smackdown makes it work. Hell, they’re even making Ellsworth work with this whole delusional gimmick with all this quick fame and victorious over AJ Styles get to his head. If Raw and Smackdown were actually two different shows for two separate companies, I think people would enjoy Smackdown PPV’s more.
Final Rating – 7/10

What were your final thoughts on TLC? What final grade would you give the event? Where would you rate it on a scale of ten? Do you agree with my review? Leave your comments, opinions and thoughts below in the comments section.